MARBLE-OUS

MARBLE CAKE POPS BY YUMMI POPS

White marble is having a moment! The trend started in home decor with chic & trendy brunch tables, then moved into cookware with us spotting images of minamalists having their morning coffee on a piece of marble slab & finally moved into fashion with Balenciaga's epic bags & bracelets.

I can't explain how many marble pieces Jyoti bought me for my kitchen; marble plates, cake trays, cutting boards, rolling pins & even a mortar & pestel. For herself she found a marble notebook, notepad & of course her two-piece marble skirt & top.

The amazing thing about white carrera or black marquina marble is that the "veins" or swirls in the marble are caused by impurities with clay, sand, iron or oxides getting beneath the surface, just as oysters' defence mechanisms create pearls. Each piece of marble is unique. The whole creation of marble is fascinating; from natural stone to magma or molten rock to granite to heated crystallized rock to your coffee table.

When YUMMI POPS was creating my birthday pops & asked what design I wanted, I had to try white marble. The trend has already moved into fashion so why not fashion cake pops? Stef did a MARBLE-OUS job recreating the white marble veins with each pop looking different & unique from the other. The cake was the most decadent chocolate cake I've ever had & if you do order @YUMMIPOPS, I would recommend a chocolate filling. Bite sized cake is trendy & waistline friendly for any fashionista's birthday.

Click here to view my previous fashion YUMMI POPS collaboration.

Xo

Kiran

COCOA CHANEL

HTTP://WWW.YUMMIPOPSCANADA.COM

Large cakes are so outdated but cake will remain the traditional celebration sweet treat until the end of time. Nowadays, people are opting for cake-pops: bite sized cake on a lollipop stick.

As an avid reader of Forbes (to see what my exes have been up to LOL), I stumbled upon "Forbes Top 10 Food Trends" where cake pops featured as number 9 of 10.

Food on a stick is always easier to eat at parties & literally a cake walk, pun intended, but it is also a portion of the calories with the same sugar-burst packed into a bite leaving you satisfied & worried about your next dentist appointment.

YUMMI POPS (located in Toronto) created customized fashion pops for me, exact to my specifications; half fluffy white vanilla cake & half rich chocolate cake coated in white buttercream with quilted Chanel and the signature 'CC'.

Yummi Pops are perfect for weddings, baby showers & birthdays with customized flavours & cake decoration.

Yummy Pops, 'you bake me crazy!' I will definitely be ordering another batch for my upcoming birthday.

XO

Kiran

COCONUT BLACK RICE PUDDING

COCONUT BLACK RICE PUDDING

Black rice has become a staple in my cooking. It has many preventative benefits for cancer, diabetes, heart disease & heart attacks. Black rice is a nutrition powerhouse, packed with antioxidants which makes it even healthier than brown rice. 

I've become a coconut fiend lately. I had some leftover black rice from dinner so decided to make it into something sweet; a creamy, Thai-style, warm coconut rice topped with fresh fruit & shredded coconut. It's dairy-free & gluten-free, making it a delicious dessert or even breakfast. 

INGREDIENTS

1/2 cup cooked black rice

1/4 cup coconut milk (preferably Silk coconut milk)

3 g stevia sugar (2 packets)

1 tbsp fresh shredded coconut

1 tbsp sliced almonds

1 tbsp pomegranate seeds

sliced mango

sliced kiwi

METHOD

Slice mango & kiwi into thin slices. Remove the pomegranate seeds from 1/4 pomegranate. 

In a pan, add coconut milk & stevia sugar. Bring to a simmer & add cooked black rice. Mix & gently stir. 

Top black coconut rice with fruits, shredded coconut, & sliced almonds. 

Enjoy for dessert or even as a breakfast. Add any fruit or toppings of your choice. 

Tip: Black rice takes a bit longer to cook than white or brown rice. You can reduce the cooking time by soaking the rice in cold water & in the refrigerator overnight. 

XO

Kiran & THE BLANK PLATE